Emilia Cruz Mystery

Imagine if you were the first and only female police detective in Acapulco, investigating crime in a city both breathtaking and deadly. Mexican drug cartels battle for control and politicians are bought with blood money. The detective squad room reeks of machismo. The lieutenant is a dirty cop who has trapped you into silence. Unexpectedly put in charge of the investigation when her lieutenant is found dead, Emilia Cruz uncovers the lieutenant's sordid sexual past as well as his involvement in a kidnapping and counterfeit money scheme. Reputations are threatened by her discoveries and truth is for sale. Emilia becomes a pawn in an ugly game of checkmate and corruption played by Acapulco's ambitious mayor and the powerful police union. Rival police detectives take aim at Emilia's investigation. Their ringleader is a prime suspect. Hotel manager Kurt Rucker has some helpful advice for Emilia but the heat between them is too hot to handle. Feeling like one of Acapulco's famous cliff divers hoping not to crash on the rocks below, Emilia must choose between truth and survival. But no matter which choice, she won't be ready for the shock of the water. And neither will you.

Imagine if you were investigating crime in a city both deadly and breathtaking. Mexican drug cartels battle for control and politicians are bought with blood money. Your partner once vowed to destroy you. Your new lieutenant is a drunk. Your lover might leave Acapulco. And then the restaurant you just left blows up. Terrified by her nightmares of the restaurant fire and shaken by norteamericano hotel manager Kurt Rucker's possible move, Emilia Cruz must catch a violent firebomber and find a missing girl before the iconic beach city is destroyed. Neither investigation is easy, because the influence and impact of Mexico's drug war is everywhere, just like the salt breeze coming off the ocean. Emilia's police work is soon hijacked by savage political rivalries, a corrupt Vice cop, and a woman in prison who knows more than she'll say. As Acapulco screams for an end to the flames, the arsonist evades Emilia's sting operation. Meanwhile, the missing girl's trail leads to Acapulco's famous lucha libre fighters. Inside the coliseum, the heat of the investigation ignites into an inferno. If Emilia's only chance to survive is to dance with the devil, will she take it? Would you?

Imagine if you were the first and only female police detective in Acapulco, investigating crime in a city both breathtaking and deadly. Mexican drug cartels battle for control and politicians are bought with blood money. The police union wants to control you. Your lover wants to know a secret you can't share. The morgue is full and you've got another body to add. When Emilia discovers a human finger, sold as a relic of a famous Mexican martyr, it seems to be evidence of a gruesome kidnapping. It also triggers memories of a painful episode Emilia won't share with gringo hotel manager Kurt Rucker. Struggling with her past, Emilia is plunged into danger as she uncovers how many times the finger was bought and sold before ending up in a posh store. Meanwhile, a rare type of heroin connects to a cruise ship murder, promising more drug war violence for Acapulco's already blood-soaked streets.

More than any other cop in Acapulco, Emilia Cruz has reason to be shaken by the execution-style murders of three law enforcement officers in as many weeks. When her partner Franco Silvio's wife is killed, it's obvious to Emilia that the murders are connected and she could be the cop killer's next target. She expects to join a task force to investigate but is reassigned instead. Her new police unit is a political time bomb championed by Acapulco's ambitious mayor and overseen by a shady union strongman. Corruption and paranoia rule the day. Home is no refuge for Emilia; hotel manager Kurt Rucker has a shocking secret that could tear their relationship apart. A falsified report leads Emilia to conduct a private investigation, even as a fifth victim is left as a stark message on Emilia's doorstep. Unexpected help comes from a frightened attorney and a famous movie star, but each new clue unravels the one before. Meanwhile, Emilia's ongoing hunt for a missing girl leads to the infamous El Pharaoh casino, a place she and Silvio know only too well. When the chips are down, Emilia has only two choices: hold or fold. Either could cost her life. Which would you choose?